Movie and Music Reviews

Inspector Endeavour Morse, based on the character in Colin Dexterâ€™s mystery book series, was played for many years by John Thaw in the popular British series, Inspector Morse. Now the character is reimagined as a brash young Constable Morse played by Shaun Evans in the new series, Endeavour. In the opening scene of the pilot, set in 1965, Constable Morse is writing his letter of resignation when he is called in with other officers to investigate a missing persons case in the city of Oxford, where he was once a student at the university. Many of Morseâ€™s memorable character traits are already present in the young man- he is almost always the smartest man in the room, which does not endear him to his fellow officers, and his love of crossword puzzles and opera music also play a part in his investigations. This series is smartly plotted and well-acted and even those who were not fans of the original series will find themselves hooked, while fans of the original Inspector Morse will enjoy seeing the young man solve his first case, drink his first ale, and sit in his first Jaguar.
Grade: A-

Part action, part thriller, Non-Stop follows the story of a hijacked flight from New York to London and the US Air Marshall (Liam Neeson) who is believed to be the planeâ€™s hijacker. Throughout the film, I kept trying to piece together the true story of the hijacking and who was really behind it, but the storyline kept me guessing until the very end. The only portion of the film that I did not like in general was the directorâ€™s use of on-screen text messages between the mysterious hijacker and Neeson. Though the texts allowed the viewer to see the words as they were typed and read, I had to pay very close attention to ensure that I didnâ€™t miss one. Overall, it was an engaging film, and one that I would recommend to others.Overall Rating: B+

Run & Jump stars Will Fort as Ted, an American doctor who travels to Ireland to study the Casey family after the husband, Conor (Edward MacLiam), suffers a stroke, which changes his personality and leaves his wife, Vanetia (Maxine Peake), to hold things together. While this plotline may sound bleak and depressing, the film is actually a beautiful and heartwarming story. At first, Vanetia find's Ted's presence and continual filming to be annoying and stifling but as time progresses, Ted and the family members find themselves influencing each other in positive and powerful ways. It is a testament to the perseverance of the human spirit and the bond of love and support that can develop within us all. At once poignant, funny and thought-provoking, I highly recommend this film.Overall Rating: A-

The play revolves around a foster parent and her three unruly foster children who move into Madeaâ€™s small blue collar Georgia neighborhood. The elderly, nosy Aunt Bam (Cassi Davis) and the irrepressible Madea (Tyler Perry) use their wits and wisdom to bring structure back to the neighborhood. Serious social issues occur with the characters, but the mood is lightened through inspirational singing and comic relief. The stage set is beautiful, and the singing outstanding. I enjoyed the film and recommend it, for viewing and discussion.Overall Rating: B+